TIME-TEMPERATURE- WEATHER:

Early AM (first light-9AM): clear, 40, with a bit of wind from SG

Evening: 4:30-9PM Clouds build up, making for good viewing at Slough for the unexpected move.

Snow Level (roads/landscape):

Water/Ice Level (ponds and rivers): Lamar Canyon Indicator Rock is at the highest water level I’ve seen so far this spring. Still 6-8 inches from the top, though.

CROWD: LOTS OF PEOPLE!

SUMMARY FOR THE DAY: Quite a fateful day. We have good viewing in the morning of adults and pups, including yet another likely dead smaller pup.

The evening starts with a liesurely evening around the campfire until the moment when 1385 starts moving the pups. She takes a route west through Aspen Pass.

WOLF SIGHTINGS (total; pack; individuals, pullout, time of day): 16 wolves total. All Junctions

10 of 11 adults 8B/2G (missing 1478F) plus all 6 black pups in the morning at Slough from Daves

In the evening at Slough we have 7 adults (including 1385F, newly hind leg limping 1392M, 1479F, 1489M, 1545M, the uncollared front-leg limping black and the UCG) along with 6 black pups.

COMMENT: None of us saw this move coming, although in hindsight, we missed the significance of the smaller dead pup. We are pretty gloomy at the moment, with our sure thing gone. But wolves will be wolves.

NON-WOLF SIGHTINGS (what & where)

Grizzly: a single dark bear in the high meadow west of the den cliff this AM from Daves

Bison: various, usual spots and all over the roads! Huge herd with lots of calves in Round Prairie as I drive back east in the AM.

Coyote: two south of the road between Slough and Lamar Canyon in the late AM (probably going down to the bison carcass)

Sandhill crane: Slough flats from Daves this AM

Mule deer: several in the meadow south of Baronette on my way east in the AM and more in the high meadows near Warm Creek on my way back in the evening.

Elk: We do not see elk in the den area this morning. But they are visible in the high meadows both east and west of there.

Fox: a single fox among the woodpiles just beyond the entrance gate on my way down in the evening

Geese: Slough

Moose: two wading through Soda Butte Creek in Round Prairie on my way back to SG this evening

Pronghorn: Slough and Lamar

EARLY MORNING HIGHLIGHTS (first light till 9AM) I start again on Daves Hill today. Several Junction wolves are feeding on the Aspen Drainage carcass, including 1479F and 1385F.

At the den we have three black adults and the uncollared gray bedded just above the gully ridge. Two pups are out early but soon retreat inside the den.

At 6AM, the limping black (hind leg) sets off with two other blacks past the parrot rock, one of the routes towards the carcass.

Then, again, something odd, involving the uncollared yearling.

He trots quickly down from the den opening with a small dark thing in his mouth. Some people think right away its a pup. The yearling moves to a spot below the crescent rock, where he stops and puts it down. I see no movement from the tiny body. Its hard to see what the yearling is doing but he might be digging, perhaps trying to bury the thing.

The yearling then moves back west. A moment later, the uncollared gray goes to the exact same spot and now he appears to be digging. He then trots back towards the den with the limp tiny body in HIS mouth. The gray stops just above the gully ridge, puts it down, and seems to be licking it, repeatedly.

I remember seeing 907 calmly doing this to an injured pup a few years ago.

This is now the third time a wolf has been seen carrying a seemingly lifeless undersized pup outside the den. The yearling has done it twice.

It’s very hard to be certain of what we are seeing, and I admit, my emotions are engaged, which makes it difficult to remain objective.

Rick and I discuss it, but we both know we need to let some time pass.

A consensus builds that the Junctions could have a second, younger litter (possibly born to 1479F) who are not thriving as the other six are.

My best explanation, at the time of this writing, is that the undersized pup I saw today was not alive, that the yearling wolf may think he is helping the pack by housecleaning a dead pup from the den (currently occupied by 6 healthy pups) and the gray may have been attempting to revive it.

Neither wolf is particularly successful.

A while later, the uncollared yearling starts running west towards the Parrot Rock. He has nothing in his mouth this time. In fact, he is running to catch up to 1489F, who is going down to the carcass again.

He passes 1489, spins around and runs back towards him, trying to engage him in play. It works. The two young wolves race each other down the rocky hill towards the carcass.

A minute or two later, 1479F returns from feeding at the carcass. Her behavior changes when she gets close to the den. She becomes very animated, immediately scent-trailing the route the uncollared yearling took with the lifeless pup down below the Crescent Rock. She then rushes back towards the uncollared gray, where he still sits with the tiny body.

She quickly picks it up and carries it to the den, taking it inside.

When she reappears, she is even more animated. She again traces the paths of both the black and the gray, going repeatedly back and forth as if she is checking to see if any other pups are outside the den. She makes repeated contact with the uncollared gray. She tucks her tail, as wolves will do when they solicit food (help) from another.

After a few more minutes she relaxes and beds near the gray.

During this drama, other wolves come and go from the carcass.

A while later, 1385F arrives from the carcass via the Spring Meadow. She goes to the den and all six normal-sized pups come out. She nurses them. None of us notice any stress behavior from her or the six pups.

I breathe a sigh of relief seeing the six healthy pups with her.

1479 and 1385 bed near each other. The alpha male comes up from below, greets 1385 and 1479, then walks slowly to the eastern trees where he finds a shady spot in which to rest. He has a new injury, a rear leg limp.

1545M arrives from the carcass and travels slowly east across the den area. He seems to be moving very slowly, like old wolves do. This seems peculiar to me, since he is a yearling and should be full of energy even with a stuffed belly.

I suggest that perhaps he and the alpha male were both injured bringing down their latest carcass.

Later we see 1484M, meaning we have the whole pack except 1478F.

Its another incredibly busy day this morning with so many Memorial Day visitors joining us on Daves. We are lucky to have fairly non-stop activity at the den and at the carcass, so many first-time visitors get to see their first wild wolf.

I head back east around 11

AFTERNOON: Becky joins Maureen and Rick and me for dinner.

EVENING HIGHLIGHTS (4:30PM-9PM) Maureen and Rick scope for Mollies in Lamar while I continue to Slough.

Becky and I park at the Bobs Knob lot because it offers a little better view of the Aspen Drainage carcass. The many clouds tonight make for excellent viewing conditions.

All six pups are out and about. We enjoy seeing them having a great early evening romp. They visit with mom and other adults. Four of them set off towards the eastern trees, venturing all the way up the hill. They stop and stare at the tree trunks. Then they turn and gallump back to the den.

Junction adults in view include 1385F, 1392M (with new hind leg limp), 1479F, 1489M, 1545M, the uncollared gray, and the big front-leg limping uncollared black male.

1385 has a small piece of hide which she offers as a toy to the pups. Shortly after this, she picks up one of the pups. She begins to trot with it to the west. At first, I think she is just bringing it over to her favorite bedding spot on the left sage knoll.

Nope.

She continues with the pup at a fast clip past the western trees, past the parrot rock, over and down the green pathway. The uncollared gray rushes to catch up and follows several paces behind as if he is in on some plan.

Wolf-watcher Joe K is scoping with others from the gravel pile lot. He radios me to ask Are you seeing this? I say Yes. He asks What is she doing? and I reply Looks like she’s moving the pups.

1385F leaves the green pathway and begins to climb into the rocks above. Someone wonders if she taking the pup to the carcass? Well, if so, she is taking it upslope instead of down.

We lose her soon after. I am struck by her business-like attitude; she seems to know exactly where she is going.

The remaining pups seem a bit confused (as are we all!). I notice that 1479 does not follow the alpha female.

After 15 minutes 1385 comes back, without the pup. She is running. The remaining 5 pups are still outside the den. 1385 goes to pick up a second pup but has trouble getting the right grip. After two tries, the pup moves away from her heading to the den.

She follows the pup and this time she gets a good grip. Off she goes, carrying the second pup, taking the exact same route, employing the same on a mission brisk trot.

This time both limping males (uncollared black and alpha male) plus 1479F follow her past the western trees and the parrot rock. When she heads upslope through the rocks, the alpha male diverts and heads downslope, while the other two follow 1385 into the rocks.

We later see the alpha male at the carcass.

The other four pups remain outside the den, roaming and playing with 1545M and 1489M still babysitting.

20 minutes later, 1385 returns once more, with 1479 and another black following her (I am not sure the second black was the same limping uncollared male). 1385 picks up a third pup, gets a good grip and takes off once again. Two pups go inside the den.

1479F watches as the alpha sets off with pup #3. She neither helps her nor offers resistance.

The alpha female takes the third pup at 7:55PM. I am usually heading back east by now but I am so fascinated by what I’m seeing, I am loathe to go. 1545M and 1479F remain with one pup still outside the den.

When 1385 took the second pup, Celia and Glenda headed west to see if they could find out where she ends up. They do catch a glimpse of her near the Aspen Drainage but lose her again.

As fascinating as it has been to watch this unexpected development, we are all keenly aware that it probably means the end of our lucky days for a while. By denning here, the Junctions have allowed us the luxury of near-certain wolf watching day after day for over a month. I guess all good things must come to an end.

Amidst my disappointment, I know I witnessed wolf history tonight, and it makes me grateful for the sightings I've had. We console ourselves with the knowledge that the Mollies are still in Lamar.

I hope 1385 will pick a spot where we can continue to watch the development of the pups.

By 8:30, 1385 has still not returned, so I bid goodbye to my buds and head back east, knowing I’ll have to stay up to write a report for Laurie.

I suspect 1385 will complete the move tonight.

NOTE ABOUT THE BISON CARCASS SOUTH OF SLOUGH: A black bear with cubs was feeding on the carcass recently, and people got too close, so Rangers have close off the “viewing” area. The closure helps limit the crowd, which in turn, eases traffic.

WHAT I MISSED: This AM while watching Junctions on Daves, fellow watchers Mark and Carol are in Lamar, watching a gray Mollies wolf for about an hour roaming the old Druid rendezvous. They later see 1411F on the west shoulder of Norris, heading south.

TODAY I SAW: a grizzly, bison (and calves), coyote, sandhill cranes, mule deer, elk, fox, geese, 2 moose, pronghorn, 16 Junctions wolves including 10 of 11 adults (all except 1478F) plus all 6 black pups and the spirits of Allison, Richard, Jeff and Chloe.

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS I USE, IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER:

DF: Diagonal Forest (a feature east of the Slough den)

DPH: Dead Puppy Hill, the partly treed hill below the crest of Mt. Norris immediately south of Footbridge pullout. Named by coyote researchers before the 1995 wolf reintroduction. The hill has been a popular area with local wolf packs since wolves were reintroduced. It has held several coyote dens over the years, but to my knowledge, this year is the first time a wolf pack has denned on it. The Mollies chose an area on the western slope above the new growth forest, and produced at least two pups, one black and one gray, which were seen infrequently during June.

HF: Horizontal Forest (another feather east of the Slough den

HR: Hellroaring (large overlook pullout on the Blacktail)

LCW: Lamar Canyon West (pullout on the western side of Lamar Canyon) that overlooks a lot of, but not all of, the area wolves use at Slough.

MST: Marge Simpson Tree (distinctive tree in Slough Flats) In 2024, the Junctions used the meadows below and left of Marge as their August-October rendezvous.

OGR: "The OGR" Old Gardiner Road (current name for the new road hastily constructed after the 2022 flood on top of the former gravel road between Mammoth and Gardiner)

RP: Round Prairie (big meadow south of Pebble Creek campground)

SB: Soda Butte (or SBV Soda Butte Valley) where Soda Butte Creek flows between Round Prairie and its Confluence with the Lamar River)

SG: Silver Gate (small town just outside the northeast Park entrance)

SRT: Southern Round Tree (distinctive tree south of the Marge Simpson Tree)

UCG: Un-collared gray (Junction 2 yr-old bouncy male). Born to the Rescue Creek Pack, he joined the Junction Pack sometime in February 2025.

YGM: Yellow Grass Meadow (a feature east of and upslope of the Horizontal forest at Slough)